A Reason To Hate
by WhoIsThisDamnAuthor
Summary: "Shall we...give them a reason to hate us?" Aizen Sosuke, Uzumaki Naruto. Are they polar opposites, or more similar than we think? World : Naruto with heavy influences and indications to the existence of the Bleach universe.
1. A Reason to Hate

**DISCLAIMER : I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR BLEACH.**

* * *

'_IT'S NOT POSSIBLE FOR A MERE HUMAN TO SURPASS ME!'_

'_As if…..as if this pathetic Kidou could seal me away!'_

'_The Hogyoku…..no longer recognizes you as it's master….'_

'_That….That cannot be…..URAHARA KISUKE! I DESPISE YOU! You, who possess such intellect!'_

'_How are you able to LET yourself be ruled by a THING like that?'_

* * *

**'_Victors must always speak of the way the world should be, not the way it is'_**

**- Aizen Sosuke**

* * *

He staggered. Stopping, and leaning on one leg, he gasped in shock when the sharp pain ripped through his right leg.

'_Must...leave…'_

A huge gash ran across the left side of parched and cracked lips. Blood had already dried around the gash. Two other cuts seemed to adorn his gaunt face, each running quite a distance across it.

Dusk was settling in, and the young boy could tell, by the way the sun was slowly submerging itself amidst the trees on the west side of Konoha. The wind was certainly picking up, and the young boy shivered, lacking any sufficient protection from the cold.

Making _him _feel comfortable was the least of the villagers' worries. All they cared about was to leave him alone between violent outbursts of anger, so that his unnatural _'cursed' healing ability_ got him well enough for another.

The young boy limped along, weary and melancholy, two adjectives that didn't have anything to do with a boy his age. The village itself though, was in a state of inebriated joy. The tenth of October, a day that always signified both great joy and great sorrow, joy that the Nine Tailed Fox had been defeated, sorrow that it hadn't been killed, as, the villagers stated every opportunity they got, it should've been.

Uzumaki Naruto limped dazedly, not caring where he was hobbling off to, as long as it meant the fact that he was putting a sizeable distance between him and his oppressors.

He needn't have worried, though.

Beating a little boy into submission, rendering him broken, both physically and mentally now held not the original amusement it had provided, for the commoners of the Leaf. Satisfied with their noble work, the men had swaggered off, deserving of a few drinks after the service they'd done for their beloved village.

'_Have…to go….to…'_

He stopped short, unable to walk further. Drawing in a breath, he bent down, clutching his right leg. It seemed to throb with every step he took, and it only kept getting worse. He couldn't carry on much longer, telling himself it _didn't _hurt, when it felt like a thousand knives were working their way up his legs and into his weak thighs.

'_Torn right thigh muscle.'_

Uzumaki Naruto, at age ten, was no stranger to physical injuries administered by his dear fellow villagers. In fact, he was so well acquainted with the various cuts and bruises running across his pallor that they didn't even hurt now. The thing was, this time, it'd mattered, when his right leg had come under high duress.

He looked up and frowned.

'…_. 44…'_

Forty four….such an ominous number, a signal that things would always go wrong…..and it was fitting, to have that number designate this certain segment of the village.

'…_The Forest Of Death…..'_

He stared at the thick steel netting that separated him and the dense overgrowth. Unbending, unyielding, it was a special training, now rarely used, because he'd heard, once you get in, you needed extremely good navigational skills to get out.

Walking along side the tall steel fence, he ran his hand across the bars. Continuing for quite some time, he suddenly stopped at a certain point. Poking the fence timidly, he got the desired reaction when it bent just a fraction more than it should have, a weak link giving way, just a little.

He smiled, despite the pain.

Bending down, he punched the fence, and mysteriously, it seemed to break only at that point. It flapped in and out harmlessly.

Pushing the flap, he crawled his way through. The flap was a really small one, made for him, Naruto thought, on these types of days, when the villagers were feeling a bit too exuberant, and were in the ideal mood to punish something in their joy.

Crawling in, he stood up, painfully. This time, when he stared at the fence, it was from the inside. He turned round, coming face to face with the huge, rather imposing forest, with a dark ominous green aura surrounding it.

At least, that was what anyone else'd describe it as.

Uzumaki Naruto simply hobbled in.

'_Extremely good navigational skills, eh? What do you say to this, you useless villagers? Being the beaten down fucker of the village never felt better."_

Fucker.

A new word, only recently added to his growing vocabulary of such 'colorful' language.

In his opinion, the villagers seemed to call him that freely enough when he was around, oh, and a whole bunch of other interesting sounding words that he'd yet to try.

'_What a start to the big day, eh, Naruto?'_

Calmly making his way through the dense vegetation, Naruto sighed. To him, this…this atmosphere, this thick rich scent of soil did more wonders than a soothing balm on a searing wound. _This _was what he craved for, every time he'd been ostracized, this still, calm air, this silence, punctuated by the sound of the ever so sparse breeze that made it's way unwittingly through the green cover.

He walked for a bit, turning here and there, following an extremely crude natural path. The darkness was starting to magnify, yet the blonde-haired little boy seemed to know where to go, and how to get there.

Finally, sighing heavily, he reached his destination. A lone spot, just as big as a small room, yet _so _comforting. It was unique, this place. Promptly dropping to the ground, he felt himself hit a sort of soft pillow, made out of leaves and moss on bark. Tilting his head obliquely, he could spy the moon, a full, bright moon in all its resplendence, as it traversed its ascent.

_'Finally... some peace...' _(isn't it supposed to be _'Finally, some action'? _But, I digress)

The peaceful moment was, however, disturbed, and rather harshly at that.

An uncharacteristic _squeak _made its way out of Uzumaki Naruto's larynx. Make no mistake, Naruto never really got the time to squeak all that often, and yet, there were times and occasions that demanded squeaks like these, rather loud and shock-inducing.

Occasions like these, when Naruto could clearly see the visage of a man, battered and broken, physically no better off than he was, yet eyes open, and looking at him with cloudy interest.

"…"

"HOLY FUCK!"

"….."

Uzumaki Naruto saw the man open his mouth. His lips too, caked with blood, moved.

"That….isn't a very…..nice thing to say…..young man."

* * *

The first thing Uzumaki Naruto registered was the man's voice. He didn't know how long this man'd lain here, alone and unattended, nor did he know _how _he got here in the first place, nor why he was here.

All that didn't seem to matter. They simply receded to the back of Naruto's mind when he heard this man's voice. A slow smile formed on Naruto's lips, though he himself couldn't fathom the reason for his amusement.

All he knew was that very, _very _few people used that tone when they addressed the blonde-haired Jinchuriki, and the fact that he was being addressed such seemed to fill him with some sort of inane joy, some inexplicable gratitude to this man for simply talking to him.

"…They hate you too?"

Naruto didn't know what made him ask the question, yet, looking at this man, with his careless brown hair slipping over his, Naruto thought, rather hollow face, which certainly had the makings of a certain gentlemanly charm, with weary, yet intrigued hazel-colored eyes, and body slumped against the wall in tired resignation, a strange tingle went up Uzumaki Naruto's spine.

Belatedly, Naruto noted two things. A blood-stained haori cloaked the man's injured frame, but more importantly, Naruto could spy an absolutely _beautiful-_looking sword in the man's right hand. He was holding it like a lover holds his beolved's hand, a gentle grip, almost caressing it...

Looking up, Naruto realized that the man seemed unable to reply, and reiterated.

"They hate you too?"

* * *

'_Overcast skies blot out the sun, and that always brings people's spirits down. So why not let the sunshine…just….a little longer.'_

He looked straight into the little boy's eyes, and a slow, yet placating smile tugged at the corners of his barren lips.

"….Yes…..young man….yes….they do hate me."

The boy's eyes widened in surprise, and he felt even more amused at the boy's surprise. Slowly lifting his hands, willing himself to do so, even against the numbing pain, he waved for the little boy to come closer.

"They do…hate…."

The boy seemed to scoot closer to him, though he knew not why. After all, he was a man, and merely a stranger to the boy.

But it didn't seem to matter, as the boy drew even closer.

For Uzumaki Naruto, time seemed to stop still when the stranger brought his raised hand forward. A strange sensation filled his stomach, as he felt the man's rough fingers make contact with the gash on his face, caressing the wound so foolishly inflicted on the unknowing little boy.

Sosuke Aizen smiled, whole-heartedly, for the first time in a long, long while, and for the first time, Uzumaki Naruto saw someone smile _that_ smile at him.

"They do…hate….and yet…"

Naruto brought his shoulders together, trying to draw in as much warmth as the sensation could provide. No, not the warmth one craves when the cold starts seeping through the skin. No, not that one at all.

The warmth of being acknowledged, the warmth that emanates from the sun in one's 'solar' plexus, when the realization that someone is actually in the same despicable, despondent predicament that you are in, hits home. It filled him with a boundless joy.

He was not alone.

"…and yet….shall we…give them a reason…..young man?"

Tired cerulean eyes met tired hazel brown.

"Shall we give them…a reason to hate us?"


	2. Three Years Later

**DISCLAIMER : I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR BLEACH**

* * *

_He inhaled._

_Dust...and so much of it._

_Uzumaki Naruto blinked, opening his eyes slowly._

_He didn't know why, but a sharp sensation seemed to work it's way through his head._

_'What...what is...'_

_He turned, and looked straight into the eyes of Kurosaki Ichigo._

* * *

_**Admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding**_

_**-**_**Aizen Sosuke**

* * *

A new dawn broke out over the Hidden Village of Konoha. Sarutobi Hiruzen awoke with the first rays of the sun, and rubbed his eyes with his palm. Slowly swinging his legs over, he got up painfully. Age had finally caught up with the great man.

He moved slowly, as if the very agility that made him Hokage now had deserted him. He reached the sink, and turned on the tap. He washed his face, hands feeling the wrinkled skin. He was no longer fit to remain a village leader, but lack of a suitable replacement had forced him to come out of retirement and take care of his village once more.

After his ablutions, he went over to the window overlooking the entire Country of Fire. The lush landscape stretched out in front. The village wall stretched out, and after that, the forest, like a green carpet, protected the village and maintained its 'hidden' status.

It was a special morning, this one, as the Third got his hat and placed it on his head. He looked into the mirror, and saw melancholy eyes staring back.

_It's Naruto's birthday today... his thirteenth. _

The blonde Jinchuuriki had always been full of surprises, pranks and general misbehaviour, but what had shocked Hiruzen on that fateful day, three years ago, was the stunning change that had come over his disciple's son.

All the cares of the world seemed to be burdening the young boy's azure eyes, like a veteran from the Third Great Shinobi War, who'd seen the unspeakable happen. The changes did not stop there. He'd become extremely polite, sometimes frustratingly amiable.

All the insults, humiliations, violence, swearing that used to deeply hurt the little boy now simply slid off him, like water off a waxy fig leaf. He simply nodded graciously, accepting even the most heinous and cruel insults the villagers threw at him. This only served to anger them more, and they soon turned to actual physical violence.

_He even bears the pain... _On many occasions, Sarutobi himself had to go and rescue the boy from the hands of the wrathful villagers, and had found him close, to death, bleeding and battered. His healing ability helped, but there were some wounds that could not be healed. However, one thing, _one _thing, Hiruzen found, that always unsettled.

Every time, bleeding and battered, lying down Uzumaki Naruto never contorted his face into the obvious agony he was going through. Every time, the same smile would adorn his scarred visage, the same smile would play on his dried and bloody lips, the same smile...not one of contempt, not one of malice, not one of joy, not one of amusement. Just...a smile.

And that smile...that smile _always _shook Hiruzen...it was almost as if the troubled young boy had suddenly found an outlet, an answer to all his problems, like some sort of guardian who would come to his aid.

The Third slowly ascended the granite steps of the inner corridor, making his way to his office on the top floor.

Some of the Uchiha had taken to escorting the Jinchuuriki wherever he went, protecting him from physical harm from hecklers and the occasional drunk peacefully, but firmly. Naruto had mildly protested, but they insisted on being his bodyguards.

_Funny, how the always secluded Uchiha would take to the boy so well, _Hiruzen thought. The clan of the _Sharingan _claimed that the boy had got more than his fair share of beatings, and hence the Konoha Police force were giving him all-round-the-clock protection.

_Let them do as they please, _Hiruzen had accepted the Uchiha's claim at face value, ignoring Danzo's urgent warnings that this may be a plot to bring Naruto over to their side, and host a coup d'etat sometime soon, with the power of the Nine-Tails to assist them.

Hiruzen had denied all this, of course, for the sake of peace. _This is what the Police Force was formed for... _he'd told Danzo that day. _If they want to protect Naruto, who am I to stop them?_

Hiruzen had seen a lot more, but he had just things go on unaltered. _My role as the Hokage is to protect the Will of Fire, and to keep Konoha peaceful, _he thought, remembering the First's first teachings, _and I'm willing to take any decision, however unwise, to maintain the status quo._

He entered his office. It was sparsely furnished, and was exactly like the First and the Second had kept it in their days. He saw the clock on the wall, slowly ticking away.

_Where is he? I thought I had asked him to be here after dawn... _

There was a knock on the door, announcing the Jinchuuriki's arrival. _Another thing that's changed, _thought the Hokage wistfully.

_He'd never knocked before..._

The door opened slowly, and Uzumaki Naruto stepped in. Hiruzen was deeply disturbed when he saw his face. _Why that face?_

For the ever-smiling face had gravity embedded deep inside, like a fatally injured warrior enjoying his last days, peacefully in some hospital.

The polite demeanour, the docile, almost submissive attitude pained the Third greatly. It was like Hiruzen had failed again, forsaking his vow to his disciple that fateful day, and let his cherished son turn into, well, _this._

_'Why do you never smile with actual mirth anymore, Naruto? Why do you pretend to be polite? WHY?' _he wanted to ask desperately. Yet, he said nothing.

"You called for me, Sandaime-sama?" Another one of his new-found habits, the extreme formality added to Sarutobi's grief.

"Yes, Naruto. You heve become thirteen today. I congratulate you on your birthday, and I have some good news to share," he paused for emphasis. "Starting from today, you are eligible to take the Genin Graduation test at the Academy,"

"Yes, I know. I've been preparing for the last week..."said Naruto, smile never wavering at the thought of an examination.

"I have asked Iruka-sensei to conduct your test along with others your age," Hiruzen continued, "Since you've broken contact with them over the past three years, this will be a good opportunity to bond with the rest of your rookie group, your future teammates. Use this to create a good impression,"

"Yes, Sandaime-sama..."

"I suggest you leave for the Academy forthwith. The tests are starting in twenty minutes, so you have plenty of time."

"Yes. Excuse me..." Naruto bowed deeply, and exited the room without a sound.

A single tear fell from the old Hokage's eyes.

_Forgive me, Minato, Kushina, for I have failed again..._

Hiruzen was not in the mood, but he took out the heap of reports from his desk, with a heart that had plummeted during his brief encounter with the changed Jinchuuriki.

* * *

For Yamanaka Ino, the day began just like the previous one. She awoke, jumped out of her bed, and gave her training dummy a solid punch, right in the groin. The horribly battered dummy had Uchiha Sasuke's face mask on it.

_How dare you, Sasuke! _This had been her standard wake-up procedure for the last month, ever since _that _incident...

_How could you cheat on me with that...that...stupid wide-forehead BITCH! Ugh... _Ino whacked the dummy's head off with a heavy roundhouse kick. She was too angry to even say that _whore's _name. She vowed revenge for the thirtieth time, and finally took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself.

For some reason, it wasn't working today. She was just getting more worked up. Probably because of what happened the previous night. She'd seen them near Ichiraku's, in a secluded spot she herself had found, totally making out.

_Sasuke, you...you BASTARD! _she thought, probably for the thousandth time, and she had just woken up. She got into the bathtub, and fumed silently in the hot water.

It would have been fine if her ex-boyfriend had simply broken up with her properly, before going out with the pink bitch, but no. He just had to leave her on their six-month anniversary date, which she'd meticulously prepared for the whole night.

To top that, the way he broke up was just as exasperating. Their date was going fine, when stupid pinky showed up, wide forehead and all... Her boyfriend just stared at her for a long time, and before Ino could ask him what was wrong, he just stood up, said "Goodbye", walked over to the pink bitch's table, bent down, and _fucking _kissed her! In the middle of their date!

_Rain, thunder and the melancholic sound of broken violin strings..._

If that was not enough, he'd dumped Ino in the restaurant with a further word, and had taken off with the pink boyfriend-stealer, crushing Ino's heart severely.

_I'll never forgive him for this... _Ino realized that in her anger, she'd accidentally released chakra into the water, now making it boil, like her rage. She got out, dried herself, and selected the most seductive dress from her collection.

_I'll show you, you little shit! I'll show you what you'll never get again, even in a million years! _Ino planned on making Sasuke beg for her mercy, at her feet. At the Genin Graduation, she planned to handing his manhood back on a silver platter.

"INO! Get ready quick! You're gonna be late!" her father's voice rang out from the flower shop downstairs.

She quickly dressed, and headed for the Academy.

Sasuke, you'd better watch out...

* * *

Inside the Academy building, a fair number had already arrived. She saw Shikamaru skulking near the wall, disinterested. Ino was a good fifteen minutes early. Sasuke and the pinky weren't here yet. _Oh, I'll get you, so bad... _she thought.

Five minutes later, the celebrity couple arrived, hand in hand. Sasuke was wearing the blue sweater and cream shorts Ino herself had selected. _Of all the nerve..._

Clinging to Sasuke's hand, like a lizard, was the pink... _No. She's Sakura, _Ino forced herself to say her name mentally. She acknowledged her bitter enemy. _I'll get you too! I'll widen that forehead so much, even a scarf won't help cover it up!_

Ino noticed a sudden lull in the conversation. Everybody was staring at the door, mouths agape. She stopped raging over Sasuke, and looked at who was at the door.

Her world stopped dead.

Uzumaki Naruto had just entered the building.

_More rain and thunder..._

Uzumaki...Naruto...

It had been three years since she'd seen him last, since that October, when he'd suddenly disappeared on the tenth, with no reason given by the elders for his sudden departure. Searches had been strangely cancelled, by the Hokage himself, and the Third had said that Naruto was in safe hands. The entire class had just forgotten the blonde boy, and life had just gone on.

As no one had heard of him or seen him for three long years, nobody was prepared for this at all, especially the girls in the class.

* * *

Hyuuga Hinata was keeping to the corner, avoiding attention, too shy to talk to anybody.

_I hope Naruto-kun comes..._

Ever since he'd saved her from those miscreants on that day, she'd fallen for him. However, she still admired him from afar, never even having a normal conversation with him.

The heiress to the Hyuuga clan was the only one who'd actually felt sad that Naruto had disappeared. She had cried silently in her room, desperately praying for him to be safe, while the rest of Konoha reveled at the riddance of the fox-boy, and every time she'd hear them talk, open their mouths and utter those words, each time their tongues rolled in their mouths to curse the boy, she would grit her teeth.

She would close her eyes, shutting herself out from the blatant violation of the fact that humans couldn't sink to such low levels of despondence.

So, naturally, her heart leapt for joy at the sight of her beloved, and it jumped just high enough for a slam dunk when she saw his new look.

_Some more rain, thunder and just a little light violin symphony..._

For the Jinchuuriki was no longer the clumsy, dishevelled boy from all those years ago. He was dressed very handsomely indeed. He wore black jeans that fit perfectly, and a black undershirt. His orange jacket was left unzipped at the front to show a very fit, muscular torso. He was wearing a silver chain around his neck.

The only part of his visage that looked unkempt was his blonde hair. He now wore it much longer than before, with a spiky fringe partly hiding the teal eyes underneath.

And the eyes... _Oh, god! _Hinata's heart, too, plunged upon seeing his eyes. Sure, they were that shade, _that _distinctive shade of cerulean that could only color Uzumaki Naruto's eyes, but that wasn't the point. What really hit her, made her her heart drop was the fact that they looked...they looked...sullen.

Apart from that, he looked nice, almost clean, spruce and completely different from the uncouth, rowdy boy she'd fallen in love with, all those years ago.

_He's mine... _a rare moment of conclusion for the hesitant Hyuuga heir.

_No matter what the cost._

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke was in a dire predicament. He had no clue how to even appear in front of Ino, who he'd shamelessly dumped. _In my defence, _he thought, _she was getting boring..._

Six months with the same girl was way, way beyond what the young Uchiha was willing to bear. The only reason he'd kept Sakura around for a month, was because Itachi nii-san had suddenly become distant.

After he'd taught Sasuke to awaken his _Sharingan_, Itachi had seemed too busy to teach his younger brother. Sasuke had been trying to fill up his time with girlfriends, as his lessons were too easy, but it was _so god-damned_ boringafter a few days. The instructors had decided, apparently, that knowing what the tangential component of velocity of a kunai whizzing through the air at you was indefinitely more important that knowing HOW TO DODGE THE THING.

Also, Sakura had gotten way too clingy of late. She submissively listened to everything Sasuke had to say, never contradicting him, totally unlike the headstrong Ino...

For a short instant, Sasuke wished he was with Ino. Then his practical side kicked in. _Well, there's no going back now, is there?_

He looked at Ino. She was staring broadswords at him. ('cause daggers simply do not convey enough hate...)

_Nope, definitely not an option. _He sighed, but soon brightened up, as a third option suggested itself to him. His senior, the vivacious Tenten, seemed available, and Sasuke was desperately looking for an opportunity to hit on her.

Sadly for him, Sakura followed him wherever he went, looking at him with that sickly, cloying adoration in her eyes... He'd not got a chance yet, but he was sure he could ditch her using _genjutsu_, when nii-san taught it to him.

He too, noticed the conversation in the Academy fade away to silence. He looked at the door.

Seeing _him_ there made him forget his p(r)etty girl problems for a while.

_Wow, he's grown... _

Sasuke's bored mind relished the thought of resuming their sparring, for, after all, he was an Uchiha, an elite, someone who would be far ahead of the rest in terms of pure combative ability, and the rest of them, the Inuzuka, the Aburame, the Yamanaka (gulp)...none of them were up to par, not in the very least. Of course, there was always the Hyuuga, but the girl had never struck him as anything much, quite over-hyped, he thought, by the way the clan elders seemed to talk about their Dojutsu-wielding rivals.

And all of that, all of that only left one result, one conclusion.

Uzumaki Naruto's skills were the only ones which weren't evaluated so far.

_Heavy rain and thunder accompanying the song "I'm not going down..."_

_'Oh yeah...'_

_This is going to be LEGEN..._

_ Wait for it..._

_ -DARY!_

* * *

_**Reviews:**_

**liliDreamer89 , Chayner , SPark681 , TheUchiha'sLegacy , MunkieMagic , CelestialxXxAngel , anh689 **

**Thank you guys so much for the encouragement! I hope you continue reading! (And reviewing, heh)**

* * *

**Huh? HUH? Liked it?**

**Absolutely killer, right?**

**Come on, the Sasuke - Barney Stinson comparison's pretty legendary, isn't it?**

**P.S If you haven't figured it out, Itachi hasn't massacred the Uchiha yet...yet being the keyword.**

**Making Sasuke turn out to be the playboy of the century. **

**Please review, and give further plot advice.**

**Also comment on who Sasuke should finally end up with.**

**Peace out**


	3. Transition

**So, long time since an update, folks. I have nothing to say in my defence, except that I was away on vacation hunting Snazzleberries with a trans-sexual potato. And so, without further ado, you should read my chapter.**

**DISCLAIMER : I DO NOT OWN BARUTO OR NLEACH. Wait, sorry. I DO NOT OWN NARUCHO OR BLEAT. God, excuse me. I DO NOT OWN- **

**The author was hit with excessive force on the head. He will not complete the disclaimer.**

* * *

_He looked straight into Urahara Kisuke's eyes. _

_Hatred rose in him like bile. He wanted to do something to him, he wanted to break that face, and cause it to scream in agony, in utter and absolute pain, because that was the only thing Urahara Kisuke's actions merited._

* * *

_**'Good evening, Espada. There has been an enemy attack. But first, let us brew some tea.'**_

**-Aizen Sosuke**

* * *

It was as if someone had turned the volume up a few notches. Uchiha Sasuke could feel the distinct buzzing that welcomed Uzumaki Naruto's entrance. Black jeans, black undershirt, and a carelessly zipped up orange jacket that did less to hide his surprisingly well-developed torso, the blonde-haired boy had certainly caught the eye of just about every girl in class, if not the boys. (No reference to homosexuality, honest)

He observed the surprise entrant. Uzumaki Naruto was turning away from him, looking at someone else, most probably. He could see the spiky-blonde hair extending now to the back of his neck, and a broad shoulder. Sasuke quickly averted his gaze to the boy's eyes when he turned.

The buzzing seemed to intensify. The new extremely-good-looking boy was looking at the already-known-extremely-good-looking-boy. It was every fan-girl's dream come true.

Sasuke, dropping Sakura's firm grip, walked forward, making sure his chest was as broad as it could possibly look. Smirking, he held out a hand, willing the blonde to shake it.

He saw Uzumaki Naruto's eyes follow his outstretched hand. A curious, almost indecisive uncertainty seemed to linger in the blonde-haired boy's eyes.

"Uchiha Sasuke"

Uzumaki Naruto nodded. Without extending his hand in return, he spoke.

"Uhm…I'm really sorry…uh...but….are you gay? Nothing much really, but I'm pretty sure you were checking me out."

Sasuke could feel the color rise to his face. He spluttered.

It was as if someone had hit the mute button and swallowed the remote.

* * *

The odd giggle broke the almost crushing silence. Yamanaka Ino tried, albeit unsuccessfully to stifle her mirth. She could even _see_ Sasuke reddening at the Uzumaki's words. It was, after all, not every day that you saw the dick humiliated, him being the class hero and all. Therefore, on the odd moment, Ino tried to relish it as much as possible.

"Hey!"

Several heads turned at Haruno Sakura's outburst.

"Sasuke isn't _gay_! He's going out with me!"

Ino saw Naruto turn, an amicable smile playing across his face, eyes positively twinkling.

"And you are?"

"I'm Sakura. But how dar-"

"Charming. I'll talk to you later then."

This time, Ino heard several others laugh too. Again, it wasn't everyday you saw Haruno Sakura being brushed aside, her being the smartest girl in class and all, what with the teachers literally fawning over her. Ino had to admit, though, Sakura was certainly smart, but of all things, she had a wide forehead. In Yamanaka Ino's opinion, people with wide foreheads didn't-

Her train of thought came to a screeching halt, as if someone had jammed the brakes and cut off the fuel supply. Why, you ask?

"Can I sit here?"

Sweet symphony seemed to play in the background, for Yamanaka Ino. She looked up in slow-motion. There he was, Uzumaki Naruto, asking her if he could sit next to her.

"Ermm…excuse me, but can I sit here?"

The piano solo kicked in, now. The world _was _a wonderful place to live in, after all. There he was, Uzumaki Naruto, asking her to excuse him, the picture of gentlemanly charm.

The symphony suddenly stopped, as if someone had played Lamb Of God during the quieter sections. Wait, _why _was he asking her to excuse him?

"O-Oh. Of course y-you can!"

His face broke into a wide smile, and her stomach seemed to flutter.

_(Experts agree that 'stomach fluttering' is a condition commonly found in acute cases of __diarrhea. Romance novelists, on the other hand, think that it's a sign for the girl in question and the protagonist to get married and have eighteen kids.__)_

She scooted to the side of her bench, giving the boy room to flop down carelessly. As she stole a look at the blonde, Ino couldn't help blurting out, "You've changed…."

He turned, looking at her. She could see a few bangs running up till his eyebrows, and yet, it didn't give him a rough, shaggy look. Instead, it looked just right, as if those bangs shouldn't be anywhere but where they were.

"Well yeah, it's been three years after all…."

She nodded dazedly, partially hearing what he said. She could see the blonde hair around the sides of his neck, indicating that he wore it long. A small silver chain hung around his neck. She hastily rearranged her expression, lest she should seem weird, and answered, "Yeah…"

Turning around suddenly, Naruto seemed to looking around him. They were at the first bench on the far right. Pausing, Ino heard Naruto greet someone cheerily.

"Hey! Alright there, Hinata?"

Mutinous whispering seemed to break out in the class again. First, Uzumaki Naruto had chosen to sit next to Ino, second, he seemed to know Hyuuga Hinata, the shyest girl evar, on first-name basis.

The whispering came to an immediate standstill when Umino Iruka walked in with the air of cradling an atomic bomb.

The Genin tests!

* * *

Uchiha Itachi wore the same expression as he walked back to the Uchiha compound. As he walked, various people stopped and greeted him with smiling faces. Nodding, and sometimes smiling back at people, it was clear that the brilliant young Uchiha was popular among just about everyone.

The morning was wearing thin, a bright sunny one, ideal for a perfect day off from the gloomy ANBU atmosphere. One of the youngest in his ANBU division, Uchiha Itachi was known for a fearfully trained sense of movement, direction, thinking and execution. On top of that, his Sharingan was said to be one of the most well-developed ones in the Uchiha clan. It was no secret that the Uchiha was a born genius, and a certain candidate for Hokage.

Dressed casually in black for a change from his ANBU outfit, his thin, wiry, yet powerful frame did not go unnoticed. He was no stranger to ogling, gaping, and jealous looks as he passed by. Hair tied back in a loose pony-tail, his slow measured walk gave Uchiha Itachi some much-needed time to think.

He'd just escorted Uzumaki Naruto to school, on generally no one's orders. It was, after all, the Jinchuriki's first day at school, and even if the number of attacks on the boy had decreased, it was safe to not take any chances.

Uchiha Itachi smiled, as his thoughts went toward their relationship, him and the Uzumaki. It wasn't _affection_, not the brotherly type, certainly. At first, it was _intrigue_. There was no other word for it. For if there was one thing Uchiha Itachi _prided_ himself on, it was emotional prowess. Simply the art of masking one's emotions, and even manipulating them to an extent can prove to be impossible for many people. And yet, for Itachi it was almost second nature. Of course, this proved to be a treasured skill indeed when he joined the ranks of the ANBU, a world set in such harsh contrast to the ones the pedestrians knew.

Step into the ANBU, and suddenly, it would be as if the ANBU itself took you in, embrace you with affection and sit you in its lap, proceeding with informing you of its darkest secrets. That was it, the ANBU. A world where lies were as common as a stone on the road, and secrets as abundant as the air you breathed. And, of course, it helped that violence was considered as essential as breathing.

Itachi knew well the heavy, twisted air of the ANBU of the Leaf. And sometimes, just sometimes, he would admit to himself that it was certainly interesting.

Ah, but back to Uzumaki Naruto. Uchiha Itachi was surprised to see that the very emotional strength he prided himself on was exhibited with such dexterity by a boy around half his age. He knew it, of course. He was, after all, the Sharingan genius, though nothing on Uchiha Shisui.

And they had talked, for quite a while. For a time, it was simply a stranger meeting a boy every day. Just passing by, he would talk the boy out of interest, aware, of course of the boy's status. And slowly, bit by bit, he, Itachi would start to look forward to the boy's meetings. It was just the snarky humor, sometimes, the startling disdain with which he would command his language that would intrigue him.

That disdain was, at first humorous to hear from someone so young, but soon, without himself realizing it, Itachi felt himself acknowledge what the boy was talking about. The disdain made sense. The boy was, indeed a phenomenon, at least, Itachi felt, in terms of speech.

And then, he'd introduced the boy to Shisui once, having brought Shisui along with him during one of strolls. And again, just like, him, Shisui warmed up inexplicably to the boy. Sometimes, on his off days, the three of them would spend hours talking about _anything_, Itachi would explain how the ranking system in Konoha worked, how the 'Kage would protect the village at all costs. And sometimes, it would turn educational, with Shisui explaining Nin, Gen, Do, Ken, Sen and any other jutsu available, only in theory of course.

And Itachi found the boy listening, with rapt attention, mouth hanging open and eyes wide, as Shisui would explain how Byakugan users would cleverly exploit Chakra points to weaken their opponents. It would always bring a smile to his face, and that strange, inexplicable feeling in the pit of his stomach, the same he felt when he'd seen Sasuke for the first time, to watch the young Uzumaki listen with a near-worshipping look on his face.

It wasn't just combat theory. Sometimes, Shisui would announce, it was also important to learn about history. Naruto would groan, of course, somehow convinced that History was a pile of old rubbish with old people doing old stuff. But barely a minute later, Shisui would have him hanging on to every word, telling him about Uchiha Madara's power-lust, his blood-thirst, and explaining that, though skilled beyond imagination, Madara had died a humiliating death at the hands of the Shodai.

Sometimes, he would even have Naruto rolling around in tears of mirth, when he'd told him about how the Nidaime, Tobirama Senju-sama had declared war on Iwagakure after receiving a letter about how they'd kidnapped his wife, and readying all the battlements, only to realize that the letter had been a prank, and he didn't _have _a wife.

And, Itachi had to admit, the boy showed a commendable thirst for knowledge. He knew it wasn't to be underestimated, that certain quality. For as long as someone was willing to learn, they would always improve. And, where there was a thirst to learn, there was a thirst to grow. As Naruto listened more and more to the theory, the more he'd persuade them to show him what he'd learnt. But here, both Itachi and Shisui would draw a line. This boy, after all, was the Konoha Jinchuriki. The village council, had, under strict orders, placed him under watch, and teaching the boy combat techniques without approval would certainly be frowned on.

And then, something wonderful had happened. One of their clan elders had happened upon their little meeting. At first, he could see the trepidation in Shisui's eyes, their clan had received orders to not maintain contact with the Jinchuriki. As part of their police force, they should only have watched him. And now, they were discovered.

It had been a strange meeting. The slightly stockily built Uchiha Kirin stared at the young boy, and Uzumaki Naruto stared back, never breaking eye contact, never faltering even for a second. After a few seconds had passed, Naruto had got up suddenly, sensing the fact that he was sitting down, in front of a Clan Head.

"My apologies, Uchiha-dono. I hope you will forgive me for my disrespect. I am Uzumaki Naruto."

Itachi stared, face impassive, but anxious at heart at Uchiha Kirin. And, for the first time he had ever seen in his life, Uchiha Kirin's eyes broke their usual lifeless look, and his lips split into a small grin.

"Pleased to meet you, Uzumaki-san. I see you are well acquainted with Itachi and Shisui. You must come to our compound for lunch sometime."

Not even waiting to hear a reply, Uchiha Kirin had hobbled off, still smiling, leaving a bemused and flummoxed Shisui and Itachi. No more was spoken about the subject. Naruto never came to the proposed meal, but, as Itachi knew well, it was an extension of the hand of the Uchiha towards the lone Uzumaki. Itachi and Shisui themselves had talked about it, but there was no other explanation for it. The Uchiha had just decided to befriend the Jinchuriki.

And suddenly, it was no more 'watching' the boy. It became 'escort'. Perfectly capable of investigation, the Uchiha elders had come to realize the treatment being meted out to the boy. And protecting him from further physical and mental harm suddenly became their top priority.

Now filled with confidence, Uzumaki Naruto had suddenly realized that, although what he was receiving wasn't _love _of any sort, but _respect_, _acknowledgement_, and most of all, _importance_.

The two of them, Shisui and Itachi had decided to teach the boy the basics of combat. As expected, he was clumsy, he was ignorant, and he was slow. But, what made it a pleasure to teach him was that he was _willing _to learn. He was willing to accept that he was clumsy and slow, and ready to change it.

What made teaching the Uzumaki difficult was that they couldn't be seen doing it. Naturally, lessons proceeded at snail-pace. But then, the two of them had decided that training the body was enough. Naruto himself would learn, if he possessed the thirst, about chakra manipulation, Ninjutsu and the likes. And so, bit by noticeable bit, Uzumaki Naruto improved. It was impossible not to, under their tutelage. Shisui proved to be an excellent 'slave-driver', in the words of the Uzumaki, and Itachi had earned the title of 'Captain Killjoy', by showing the difference between his and Naruto's physical abilities every now and then.

But Itachi could see it, for after three years of being with the Uzumaki, that he was happy. And, in some strange way, he'd been happy too. It was like a breath of fresh air, being cooped up in ANBU, doing missions that required extraordinary skill, lying, stealing, and manipulating…and after that, simply talking to Naruto.

And now, he was about to take the Genin tests. Much as he and Shisui would've liked to see him at it, it was prohibited. He was also interested to see how Sasuke fared. It wasn't _neglect_, he would tell himself, what he was doing to Sasuke. He had, after all, taught him the very nuances of Dojutsu usage, and Sasuke was, after all, an Uchiha. Combat, and the thirst to improve came like breathing to them. In fact, what he was most interested to see, was how Naruto would fare against Sasuke later on. After all, Sasuke was taught combat itself, while Naruto had concentrated on his physicality.

"Hey."

He looked up with a start. He'd been so engrossed in his thoughts that he'd never noticed Shisui had sneaked up behind him. Very remiss, of course, of Uchiha Itachi.

He looked up at Uchiha Shisui. If Itachi had been considered as a child prodigy, Shisui was probably a child legend or something. There was nothing to say about Uchiha Shisui's combat, mostly because only a few people had seen him in action. A monstrosity is what he is, Itachi would say, after seeing him execute his move. For it was as if Uchiha Shisui was born for the very act of engaging in combat.

And then, of course, Shisui would laugh, sober up, and say, 'Don't be stupid, Itachi, you know combat's my weak area…Now, Genjutsu, _that's _my forte.'

And this would be the point where you would sit down, take a few deep breaths and try to fathom the certain Uchiha skills.

* * *

'_Lies and secrets, lies and secrets…the world is far darker than you think, Shisui-san. Do you know, Shisui-san…? Do you…__**want**__…to know, Shisui-san? I can show you. I have no intention of deceiving anyone'._

His hair shook slightly with the wind, and his lean, lithe body was propped precariously against the bark of a tree. He'd asked Itachi to follow him, telling him not to talk in between. When they'd reached the preferred destination, he'd walked across to rest against the bark, and looked straight at Itachi.

"We need to talk. We need to talk…about Uzumaki-san."

"…Why?"

"There's something wrong. Something, just the minutest of pieces is missing, Itachi. Do you think you're seeing the full picture?"

* * *

'_Do you think you're seeing the full picture?'_

He observed Uchiha Shisui carefully. Lying down next to Shisui on the soft grass, his elegant fingers caressed a mop of brown hair. One small bang seemed to object to the general slicked-back hairstyle, lolling out in front aimlessly, subject to the notions of the wind. A flawless hand blocked the sun from Aizen Sosuke's face as he observed his fingernails.

A slow smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

'_Impressive.'_

* * *

**Reviews :**

**lilidreamer89 : Thank you for the support! Hope you continue reading. And as for your question...err...wat? ('Will there be a flashback for marital with a in?')**

**Akuma no Sage : Thank you! Keep reading and reviewing, yeah?**

**the white bear : Oh, me too mate, me too.**

**RikudoNaruto1 : Whoa there, man! Okay then! Just a small note, interchanging 'brainwash' and 'fuck', did you know your sentence becomes 'I hope Naruto fucks the brainwash out of her' ..? Interesting, isn't it? You're giving me them plot bunnies.**

**SPark681 : Thank man! Keep reading!**

**Uchiha Senju Naruto : Thank you! Hopefully I'll keep you interested till the very end.**

**LeroyallenXNaruto : Glad you loved it :D**

**erching : You've got me curious too, about your name, that is. It sounds like a coin in the slot machine. Okay, okay, kidding. Hopefully you'll excuse my immature moments and read on.**

**Regin : Thank you!**

**VoidEnter : Thank you! That was what I was aiming for.**

**Breathless Voice : No. Sasuke should end up with Granny Chiyo. Or Gamabunta.**


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